Teach Green Winter Workshop

Saturday January 20, 2024

Join us for a day of Outdoor Ways of Learning and Sharing at the Canadian Ecology Centre!

Open to any educators (Teachers, ECE, EA’s, Homeschool and other eductors).
Applicable to all grades (K-12) and subject areas.
Learn tips, techniques and ideas to bring your curriculum outside safely and creatively this winter.
Hands-on workshops, discussions and creative ways to engage your students outside!

PRICE: $60/participant

($40/Nipissing Bed or Canadore College Students)

INCLUDES: lunch, all workshops and HST

SCHEDULE

9-9:30am: Check-in, arrival

9:30am: Welcome and Introductions

10am – 12pm: Incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing into your outdoor curriculum (Tim Yearington)

12pm: Lunch (included)

1-3:00pm: Outdoor Workshop Options

3:00pm: Debrief, Wrap-up

3:30pm: Departure

YOUR WORKSHOP HOSTS

CORAL BISSETT, OCT

Coral has been with the CEC since 2007 as the full time Education Coordinator, and has completed her Forest/Nature School Practitioners certification through the CNAC (Child and Nature Alliance of Canada). Her areas of interest include risky play, play based education, and social emotional learning.

Coral is a qualified OCT teacher, teacher mentor with the OWLS program, GPS Instructor and Instructor Trainer for the National Green Check GPS Certification program, Instructor for the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s “Project Wild” and “Below Zero” programs. She holds an honours degree in Geography and Environmental Science. Coral holds certifications in Standard First Aid and CPR, Wilderness First Aid (80 hour WFR) and ORKCA (canoe training).

Coral is a mother of 2, enjoys canoeing, backpacking, photography, and is passionate about providing positive experiences in nature for her clients and students.

ALI STEER, OCT

Ali is a qualified OCT teacher, outdoor educator and mentor who currently works for the Canadian Ecology Centre and Nipissing University part-time and occasionally is contracted as a hiking and canoe trip guide. She has worked with an array of clientele in natural and wilderness settings ranging from pre-school children to adults and has a professional background in behavioural health (wilderness therapy). Ali holds certifications in yoga instruction (200hr YTT, 30hr Yin), wilderness first aid (WFR), canoe trip leading (ORCKA) and is an artist and musician inspired by nature. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Geography and Environmental Science and is currently working toward a Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology with an emphasis on Ecopsychotherapy. Her approach to teaching in the outdoors is multifaceted and inclusive of curiosity, positive psychology, social-emotional learning, creativity, presence of mind and ecological values. Ali enjoys canoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, and aims to inspire others to reconnect with nature.

SPECIAL GUEST EDUCATORS

Heather Dabrowski, OCT

Heather teaches primary prep at Silver Birches School for the NNDSB, where she takes students outside on an almost-daily basis. Before teaching at the school board, Heather taught and coordinated at the Canadian Ecology Centre, as an outdoor educator for 10+ years. During her time at the CEC, Heather became a Forest School Practitioner and began the OWLS (Outdoor Ways of Learning and Sharing) program. In partnership with the NNDSB and Nipissing Parry Sound Health Unit, OWLS offer mentorship to teachers on how to take their students outside more often. Creating exciting, meaningful opportunities for outdoor exploration and inquiry-based learning, for all students, is what drives Heather to put on her snowpants and woolies and take students outside!

Tim Yearington

Tim Yearington is a registered citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) with Métis voyageur, French- Canadian, Algonquin and Wendat/Huron ancestry. His ancestral home territory is Mattawa and Nipissing District. After a professional career as a freelance illustrator, Tim started working as a Métis wilderness guide, a traditional Indigenous knowledge keeper and educator. Having learned to ‘walk his talk’ with many traditional teachings that helped him in life, Tim is now a pipe carrier, a sweat lodge conductor and a vision quest guide and helper. Tim is also a Métis public speaker, storyteller, writer and a published book author.

Tim shares his rock-solid foundation of traditional Indigenous knowledge with everyone. He teaches traditional wisdom indoors and also teaches practices outdoors in nature. Tim fosters a needed awareness about traditional Indigenous knowledge through his guided tours, his traditional healing work with people, his legendary storytelling, his profound presentations, his inspiring writing and his personable author visits.